AWARENESS MONTH!

October is Dysautonomia and Invisible Illness Awareness Month. This is a picture of me after I woke up on my bathroom floor from passing out last month after taking too long of a hot bath. Hot baths affect my blood pressure and heart rate causing me to pass out. Most of the time I am usually fine--in the terms of not passing out but only feeling dizzy and woozy. The reason I take them is to ease my pain. Which I would rather not have pain and pass out. It is so complicated. Having an illness is when life gives you a bargaining chip. I can do this fun thing, like going out with friends, but I will feel like shit later on (or more like shit, in some cases). Or sometimes I have to help a symptom but in the process make another worse. My life is a pick-and-choose situation with how I feel. Most, of the time I decide that it doesn't even matter because no matter what I am going to feel like shit. 

However, I have been taking baths every night and have passed out or almost passed out quite a few times but it is worth it because it is tremendously helping with my pain. And my pain has been extremely bad and some days unbearable. 

Looking back at this picture is, honestly, somewhat odd for me. I know what I was thinking, I know what I was feeling and you can tell, if you look at my eyes, that I am extremely exhausted and feel miserable. I remember that night. It didn't get much better after I took that photo.

October is a perfect Awareness month to have for these disabilities because it's proven that because of the weather change and it's affects on our bodies it's the worst month of the year for people who have chronic pain or any type of physical illness, really. Not looking forward to this month for my physical health. I can and have already felt the affects. My pain levels have been much higher.

I hope abled-bodied people keep us disabled bodied people not only in their "thoughts and prayers" but maybe actually reach out to us. Ask us how we are doing! Take us out to eat! Ask us if we need anything!